Big Bend GMU 248 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 9 black bears taken in GMU 248 Big Bend in 2025. 44 bear hunters reported 812 days here, a success rate of 20.4% by WDFW's count. GMU 248 is 20.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (50,636 acres), measured from WA DNR's public land maps.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025. Seasons and permits: WDFW's 2026 pamphlet with its April 2026 corrections. Land: WA DNR, 2026-10.
BLMDNR state trust landWDFW landBureau of ReclamationNational recreation areaMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 248Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 330,253 acres (516 square miles) |
| Counties | Douglas and Grant |
| Public land open to hunting | 20.9% (68,885 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 9 (7 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 44 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 2, Columbia Basin) |
| Towns in and near it | Mansfield, Elmer City and Grand Coulee |
Also for GMU 248: deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 248?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 248 in 2025, against 7 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 12, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 8 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 5 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 44 | 812 | 20.4% |
| 2024 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 230 | 24.2% |
| 2023 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 60 | 251 | 15% |
| 2022 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 57 | 381 | 21% |
| 2021 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 83 | 20% |
| 2020 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 328 | 12% |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 129 | 17.2% |
| 2018 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 160 | 18.4% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 143 | 6% |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 132 | 18.8% |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 74 | 17.6% |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 132 | 0% |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 81 | 9.1% |
| 2012 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 78 | 23.5% |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 119 | 16.7% |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 141 | 12.9% |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 141 | 4% |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 89 | 0% |
| 2007 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 190 | 12.8% |
| 2006 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 41 | 224 | 14.6% |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 162 | 6.5% |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 114 | 4.5% |
| 2003 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 171 | 14.3% |
| 2002 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 36 | 130 | 22.2% |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 165 | 3.1% |
| 2000 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 97 | 384 | 8% |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 286 | 0% |
| 1998 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 42 | 128 | 24% |
| 1997 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 53 | 246 | 8% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 248, 1997 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. Success is WDFW's own figure. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
When is bear season in GMU 248 in 2026?
GMU 248 is in Bear Management Unit 2, Columbia Basin, which also takes in GMUs 127, 130, 133, 136, 139, 142, 254, 260, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278, 284, 290, 371, 372, 373, 379 and 381. The 2026 fall general season there runs August 1-November 15, and the bag limit is 2. It is illegal to shoot a cub or a female with cubs, and every successful bear hunter must send WDFW the bear's first premolar tooth.
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 68.
How much public land is in GMU 248?
20.9% of GMU 248 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 68,885 of its 330,253 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 50,636 acres or 15.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 50,636 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 248 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 50,636 | 15.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 6,243 | 1.9% |
| WDFW land | 5,809 | 1.8% |
| BLM | 4,353 | 1.3% |
| Military land (restricted) | 1,908 | 0.6% |
| National recreation area | 1,844 | 0.6% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 12 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 248, by WDFW's own boundaries: Big Bend Wildlife Area (24,197 acres here), Columbia Basin Wildlife Area (6,493 acres here) and Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area (1,561 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WDFW's GMU boundary (WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) from WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. Tribal land is not counted as public. National wildlife refuges, military land and "other public" land (state parks, county, city and other agencies) are not counted as open to hunting: each sets its own rules.
How do you get to GMU 248?
Highways through the unit: SR 17 (about 22 miles inside it), SR 174 (about 22 miles inside it) and SR 172 (about 9 miles inside it). Nearby: Mansfield (on the line), Elmer City (on the line), Grand Coulee (on the line) and Coulee Dam (on the line).
Which GMUs border GMU 248?
GMU 248 touches 5 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 black bear numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Black bears taken, 2025 | Bear hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 133 | Roosevelt | 11.5% | 5 | 115 |
| GMU 254 | Saint Andrews | 15.1% | 0 | 9 |
| GMU 260 | Foster Creek | 17.9% | 0 | 2 |
| GMU 262 | Withrow | 5.7% | 0 | 2 |
| GMU 272 | Beezley | 17.4% | 0 | 16 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 248 in 2026?
GMU 248 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 2 (Columbia Basin), where the 2026 fall general season runs August 1-November 15 with a bag limit of 2, by the pamphlet's table on page 68. It is illegal to shoot a cub or a female with cubs.
How many bears are taken in GMU 248?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 248 in 2025 (5 males, 4 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 12, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 248?
20.9% of GMU 248, 68,885 of its 330,253 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is DNR state trust land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 248?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Mansfield (on the line), Elmer City (on the line) and Grand Coulee (on the line).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 248
Beginning on State Route (SR) 17 at the Chalk Hills Rd (K NE Rd); N on the Chalk Hills Rd (K NE Rd, L NE Rd) NE to the first intermittent stream crossed in Section 30, T30N, R27E; N on the first intermittent stream crossed in Section 30 T30N, R27E by the Chalk Hills Rd (L NE Rd) to the Columbia River; E up the Columbia River to the east end of the Grand Coulee Dam; W on the Grand Coulee Dam causeway access road (access restricted) to SR 155; SW on SR 155 to SR 174 at the town of Grand Coulee; NE on SR 174 to the Grand Coulee Dam feeder canal; SW up the Grand Coulee Dam feeder canal to Banks Lake; S along the west shore of Banks Lake to a point due east from Mold Rd (Rd 9 NE); W from the point due east of Mold Rd on the west shore of Banks Lake to Mold Rd (Rd 9 NE); W on Mold Rd (Rd 9 NE) to SR 17; N along SR 17 to SR 172; W on SR 172, through the town of Mansfield, to Bridgeport Hill Rd (Road B NE); N on the Bridgeport Hill Rd (Road B NE) to SR 17; E on SR 17 to the Chalk Hills Rd (K NE Rd) and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters, days and success: WDFW Game Harvest Reports.
- Seasons, special permits, applicants and points: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
- Public land: WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. GMU boundary: WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from WDFW and the State of Washington, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WDFW's regulations are the final word on every rule.
Washington hunting Washington black bear by GMU Region 2 GMU 133